Harper Names Catherine Galicia as Chief of Staff

ALEXANDRIA, Va. (Feb. 1, 2021) – National Credit Union Administration Chairman Todd M. Harper selected Catherine Galicia to serve as the agency's Chief of Staff.

“Catherine’s breadth and depth of knowledge of financial services and consumer financial protection policy has served as a guiding light for me throughout my time on the NCUA Board,” Chairman Harper said. “Her vast bicameral experience on Capitol Hill, at the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, and as a leader in the private industry has established her as a trustworthy negotiating partner among stakeholders to forge consensus agreements. She is a champion for economic equity and justice and an invaluable advocate for 123 million credit union members across the nation.”

Galicia is one of the highest-ranking Latinas in a Financial Institutions Reform, Recovery, and Enforcement Act agency. Prior to being named Chief of Staff, she served as then-Board Member Harper’s Senior Policy Counsel since July 2019.

During her 15 years on Capitol Hill, Galicia gained bicameral Congressional experience working for Chairmen Christopher J. Dodd and Tim Johnson as Counsel on the Senate Banking Committee; Senator Evan Bayh as staff director of the International Trade and Finance Subcommittee and Banking Committee Counsel; Congressman Jim Maloney as legislative director and financial service policy aide; and Congresswoman Nydia M. Velazquez as legislative director and financial service policy aide.

Before joining the NCUA, Galicia was the head of the Office of Legislative Affairs at the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau. She also worked for Banco Popular as Vice President for Government Affairs, where she led the bank’s Washington office.

Galicia holds a bachelor’s degree in history from the University of Connecticut and a Juris Doctor degree from Rutgers University School of Law. She is a member of the Massachusetts Bar Association.